Monthly Archives: December 2012

I am a firm believer that we will only feel as good as the food we put in our bodies. My views on “good foods” for our family has been changing quite a bit recently. This is what we’re in the process of cutting out:

In theory, pretty straightforward. In practice, it takes a little creativity. Especially with an incredibly picky toddler. Thankfully when you decide to commit to a Paleo diet there are a huge amount of resources out there. You’ll notice that when I share recipes on the blog from here on out they will follow the Paleo philosophy more or less. You know what? After practicing this new type of food philosophy for the last month I can honestly say I haven’t felt better. And when I stray, say to enjoy an extra delicious dessert, I never end up thinking “wow that was worth it.” Sugary highs or carb-overloads no more!

1/2 cup ground almonds (you could use almond flour here I just didn’t have any)

1/2 c. + 3tbsp. ground flaxseed

1/2 t. sea salt

1/2 t. baking soda

1/2 cup honey

1/4 cup coconut oil, softened

1 tbsp. vanilla

approx. 1/2 cup chocolate chips (use a good quality dark chocolate)

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Mix all the ingredients in a bowl. Shape dough into small balls about 1 inch in diameter. Place on greased cookie sheet and flatten slightly. Bake for 10-12 minutes until lightly browned.

Notes:

There is quite a bit of debate about whether flaxseed is good/bad for you. After reading a little bit from each side I still don’t really have an educated opinion on it. I would say use flax in moderation and do your own research if you’d like more information.

I hope each and every one of you had a wonderful Christmas celebrating with friends and family! We sure did and although there was a close call when Jeremiah got called out to Rockford, IL after a blizzard hit we were still able to celebrate together and create new memories as a family. I am pooped though and the house is showing it! We have another family gathering at our house this Saturday so as soon as I muster enough energy I’ll be cleaning it from top to bottom. All with my cleaning companions:

Slowly I’ve been moving away from store-bought, ingredient-laden cleaning products for our home and wouldn’t you know our house is just as clean as when I used those name-brand products! Now I’m feeling much better about what goes into the laundry or sprayed on the counters and I’m never left wondering what effect it’s having on our health. All of these cleaners have been tested in our home and I love them each for what they do.

Laundry Detergent

What you do: grate your soap. I use Trader Joe’s tea tree glycerin soap. It works great and it’s really inexpensive, double win! You could also use Ivory (doesn’t dissolve as well) or Fels Naptha (not very natural). Then add the Borax, Washing Soda (in the cleaning aisle, I got mine at Wal-Mart), and Oxyclean (or knock-off brand). Use 2 tbsp. for a full load and add 3-4 drops of essential oil to each load to get a light scent.

Variation for cloth diapers: leave out the bar of soap. I have used this as a diaper detergent for over a year now and always get fresh, clean diapers. Easy and inexpensive!

Dishwasher Detergent

This is a new addition to my arsenal and it has not disappointed. One thing you’ll want to do is rinse your dishes well before putting them in the dishwasher. If I have a pile of dishes I put a little bit of water in the sink and scrub them all at once without running the water the entire time. I got the citric acid and coarse salt at our local co-op in the bulk foods section.

All-purpose every-purpose soap

I LOVE this soap! I use it as hand soap and body wash. I don’t even know how much money I’ve saved by making this stuff. It is simply fantastic and so easy to make. Grate the bar of soap (I use Trader Joe’s glycerin soap for this as well but you can use Dr. Bronner’s, etc.) and combine it with the water and liquid glycerin in a pot on the stove. Heat it up on medium until everything is dissolved and then remove from heat and let sit until cloudy and thick (a few hours-12 hours). You might need to mix in a little water to it before you pour into your container if it gets too thick.

All-purpose cleaning solution

I use this cleaner for the kitchen, bathrooms and even spray a little on a rag when I dust. You can add essential oils to make it smell better (I have lavender right now). Put it in a spray bottle and store the rest in a separate container.

I’m still on the search for a good heavy-duty cleaner for things like the scummy buildup that happens in the bathtub and a toilet bowl cleaner. Once I find them I’ll make sure to share!